Scarlet Symphony
by X Prodigy
Summary: A child died. An Arrancar was born. The latest addition to Aizen's Army finds himself surronded by a web of enemies, warfare and the fatal attention of the Espada. With ghosts from both sides slipping onto the battlefield, the tide of the war may just be tipped, as well as the fate of a certain Tercera . Harribel x OC
1. Buried In The Rain

A Symphony of Scarlet 

Buried in the Rain 

The harrowing sound echoed across the London rooftops and gutters, through the parks and the estates, through the alleyways and prisons, funnelling into every crevice, nook and cranny of the old city. It was a sound that every inhabitant knew well, even the rats and fleas knew of its overwhelming chorus.

It was the sound of Big Ben, one of the greatest sights that the capital of the British Empire had to offer. It had just struck the twelfth hour, signifying midnight, and so had unleashed its mighty roar to inform the city that it was on the precipice of a new day.

The start of another 24 hours of this miserable existence.

The night's bitter chill did nothing to cool the hot blood that raced through the child as he turned another corner. His thoughts were now broken up into single words, the most prominent being 'run'. The adrenaline that laced his blood kept his little legs moving, despite doing little to stop the pin that surged through them.

A philosopher had once asked the question what makes a human run faster. Is it fear? Our natural instinct to flee for danger to prolong our own life, or is it greed? Our insatiable desire to have more than we already have. The child, though only of nine years of age, knew the answer to this question already.

It was both, both the carrot and the stick that made humans run faster than their bodies were used to. It was the greed for the loaf of half mouldy bread he held in his hands, as precious to him as if it were a diamond. It was the fear of the shadow that chased him through the cobblestones, the clenched fists that swung like hammers as he pursued him, and what those fists would do to him if they caught him.

The boy's uncut black hair blinded him as rand through the streets. He tried looking for landmarks which were usually the young like him that lay dead in the gutters, or certain stall that sold items on the black-market, or the occasional prostitute with their. The problem was that the dead were always moved, the stalls were always getting robbed and taken down, and the prostitutes were always roaming for clients.

Though recently, the streets had been alive with gossip over the death of four prostitutes within the space of only a few weeks

The boy reached an opening with two possible alleyways. His instincts told him to go to the right, but after hearing the thunderous echoes of his pursuer's boots, he panicked and went to the left. He ran through the darkness, the puddles of polluted water splashing onto the rags that were his only excuse for clothes.

"You won't get away from me you little shit!"

The voice echoed his ear drums, the fear now overcoming the greed to the point where he actually considered dropping the bread. But he persisted, if there was a small opening of any kind, he could escape and have the first piece of food he had had in three days. This dream shattered when he reached a dead end, his chance of salvation blocked by a wall of bricks. He slowly turned; face as pale as a ghost. In the dark of midnight, the shadow of the baker was huge, almost like a monster. The child pressed his back to the wall, as if hoping he could still find a way to slip through.

He dropped the piece of the bread, the loaf rolling to the damp and dirt stolen floor, the man slowly approached him. The darkness did nothing to hide the mist of his breath, or the red of his eyes. The child began to whimper, falling lower, trying to sink into himself.

"P-please….please don't hurt me" he whispered.

The figure continued to advance on him, purposely stomping on the bread. It was crushed under the weight of his boot. Terror filled the child's heart, tears falling, unable to prevent himself from thinking that his head was going to end up like that bit of bread, his skull splitting open like was no more than the shell of an egg.

"I…I was just hungry! I haven't eaten!" he continued to beg.

The man was now towered over him now, cracking his knuckles for good measure, already adding the dense fear that was weighing down on the child's petrified mind.

"I…I'm sorry…I…I didn't mean to steal it…"

There was an unbearable silence. He child didn't move a muscle, just sat there in there amount the grime and filth of the streets. His face was covered with scratches, mucus and tears, his mouth hanging open slightly, unable to contain the whimpering. He even started praying, praying to the God that he had found himself hating every day for as long as his young mind could remember. He could forgive God for everything, for every hardship, if he saved him this once.

His faith was broken when the first punch was thrown.

* * *

><p>The grand palace that was Las Noches towered over all, a place to cherish if you were an ally, and a place to fear if you were a foe of any kind. For contained within the many walls were individuals who within the blink of an eye could unleash unholy destruction upon an unsuspecting world. Even to the most primitive of creatures that lived within the forsaken lands of Hueco Mundo, from the most bloodthirsty of creatures to the most minuscule.<p>

Every Hollow knew that both Gods and Monsters dwelled within the walls of Las Noches.

The palace of night was a world onto itself. With its false sky and false sun, it looked a million times more appealing that the savage lands that the hollowfied souls inhabited. However, piercing the surface revealed that there was just as much bloodshed within the walls as opposed to outside them. The only difference was that within Las Noches, the most likely people to kill you were you allies.

Atop one of the many balconies stood a main endowed in white robes. He had a presence about him that made one almost immediately gravitate towards. He was obviously well aware of his charm, as his face was almost never seen without some form of smugness, but even then that held some form of grace. Had he been human, he would have been a bachelor, perhaps a business man of sorts. The man's intelligence was astronomical, only matched by his charm. There was only one thing off putting about this man, who so elegantly held himself as he looked over the white sands. That thing was his eyes. Eyes filled with so much deceit and lack of mercy that it could turn your soul to ice.

All matter seemed to be false within Las Noches; false sky, false sun, false promises of power, false tie and relationships. Sitting atop it all of the illusions was just one man; the False God.

Still, if ever there was a man that came close to matching God's power, it was Sosuke Aizen. A man once revered for his kind heart and compassion, he decimate heaven itself with a betrayal that left his former allies in shambles. From a Captain of hundreds to a Lord who controlled thousands, and soon to become a King who controlled all.

He had only recently dethroned the former "God-King of Hueco Mundo"; an arrogant and vicious Hollow by the name of Barragan Louisenbarn. He was an old fool whose pride cost him the short lived battle. Still, he was to be kept alive to become one his servants as he could still prove useful in the future.

"Enjoying the view?" a voice asked from the shadows behind him.

Aizen didn't even turn his head as his right and man approached. Gin Ichimaru was in some ways the opposite of Aizen's in terms of presence. His eyes were so thin they seemed to always be shut, and held a smile that made him look something like a fox. While Aizen's presence was charming, if not a bit overwhelming, Ichimaru's was slimy and sometimes just unpleasant. However, he too had been a Captain, so he's power wasn't questioned.

"Are the preparations nearly complete?" he asked.

"The Hogyoku is all set up, Tosen's tracking some pretty good candidates for the Espada, and we even got the uniforms ready! Let's hope none of em' hate the colour white" he joked.

"Excellent, then we can begin to build our army" he smiled.

"You mean _your_ army; you're the one who's running the whole show after all. We're the rats following the tune of the Pied Piper" Ichimaru commented, that same smile never leaving his face.

"Now Gin, there's no need to be so crude, after all where I be without my dear allies" he said, turning his head and giving his former lieutenant that same old smile.

"Besides, I like to think of myself as the conductor of an orchestra, guiding the music of several individuals to reach a final crescendo. It just so happens that they're following a symphony that I wrote" he mused, tapping his fingers on the smooth surface of the balcony.

"And I believe it's time we opened the curtain on our first performance of the night"

* * *

><p>It had started to rain over London, and rain hard at that. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise. On the one hand, the icy touch of the rain felt horrible against the skin, and made the filth around you that much worse, bathing your body in mud. On the other hand, at least the constant exposure numbed the pain.<p>

Leaving the alleyway, the baker wiped off the blood from his knuckles. This whole escapade had severely annoyed him. He had wasted too much time away from the bakery; he had to be up in four hours before the rest of London woke up, not to mention he was in a hideous amount of pain. He clutched his skull, the wound still fresh. He had started beating the boy in order to teach him a good lesson, and if he had just taken it then he would have just left him with a few bruises, but he had to take it a step further when he grabbed a loose brick and hit him over the head full force. He had lost it, and kept punching and kicking until he couldn't tell whether the blood on his hands was his own or the boys.

"Fucking worm, you thought you could steal from me? I'll dig my own grave before let some runaway factory brat try to ruin my business!" he yelled into the alleyway.

The body in the alleyway didn't move a muscle.

"That's right, just stay there and die, you fifth! Probably a bastard child of some local whore, probably got sold to the factory for less food than you stole!" he yelled, his voice muted slightly by the rain.

The puddles that slowly built since the rainfall now swirled a deep red colour. The dried blood that had encrusted his face bean to peel away under the weight of the rain. There was a moan of pain from the boy's lips, which had been split open, as he tried to move. But by this point his body was struggling to keep functioning, so moving at all seemed impossible.

The baker let out a few more curses, using the word "whoreson" over and over as he disappeared into the rainstorm. The boy remained there for a good few minutes, not having the strength to even move an inch. After what seemed like hours however, he eventually found that his body had become numb enough so that he could sit up without his shoulder screaming in agony. Many more minutes passed until he managed to exit the alleyway.

His right arm was broken, his clothes were stained with rainwater and blood, his nose was still bleeding and he had a fair few teeth missing. He didn't walk so much as limped; after all, the brute had taken a good few stomps on his kneecap. The boy had never known pain like this. When he was at the factory, he got his fair share of beatings, until he plucked the courage to run away, making the decision that no food and freedom was better than barely any food and a prison.

As he walked, he found the numbness of the rain could only do so much, and he collapsed into the muddy road. His breath was shallow, and the world seemed to blur every couple of seconds. Was this what it felt like to near death? He heard the words "death" and "dead" a lot around these streets, but actually thought he would face it himself. He knew and had seen more death than most in his short life, yet he had no idea what his name was or remember anything before the factories. His mother could well have been a whore, or she could be a wealthy wife who just didn't want another child. There were so many possibilities; he had considered them all, yet never found an answer.

As he tried to lift his one functioning arm, his hand brushed against something rather hard in the mud. He didn't take any notice of it at first, but then the rain managed to wash away some of the dirt that concealed it. It appeared to be a stone of sort, shaped like an irregular triangle. The most mesmerising thing about it was the shimmering light that radiated from inside the crystal casing. The light itself also seemed to have a shape to it. It was curved like a crescent moon, yet its light resembled that of the sun. Moving his fingertips over it, the boy tried to grasp it with what little strength he had left. Even amidst the blackness and the torrential rain, the light of the shard never seemed to be obscured. The surface was rough, yet there was a strange smoothness to it, almost soft. The boy continued to stare directly into the tiny ray of light, and little by little, his strength slowly returned to him.

Inch by inch, his body rose against the pouring rain. With one arm dangling limply beside him, and one leg barely able to support him, he rose to his full height. In short breaths, he continued to be fixated by the shard. Turning around, he looked for a place where he could find shelter. As he turned to the left, the shard glowed vividly brighter for a moment. The boy looked down at the mud-stained fragment for a moment, perplexed.

He pointed the shard in them same direction, and just as last time, it glowed a fraction brighter. Mesmerized by the radiance, he slowly took steps forward, following the glow as it kept increasing.

* * *

><p>Her screams of pleasure kept increasing with each thrust he took. She may have been a whore, she may have been on the circuit since she was sixteen, but she had never experience anything like this. She couldn't deny this was the best client she had ever done business with; it was like he wasn't human. His gentle touch made every part of her burn with desire. And he was so kind! The way he had fed her beforehand and agreed on a suitable price for her services, which happened to be triple what she normally got.<p>

The rain had stopped around their alleyway for some peculiar reasons. She didn't really mind, it meant she was dry, going to be able to keep her pace for at least two more weeks, and she was getting the time of her life with an amazingly handsome client.

"Enjoying yourself?" he whispered tenderly.

Her moans were all he got in return. He gave her a particularly hard thrust, causing her to scream out in pleasure. She was dying to go back to her accommodation; she was even considering giving up the rest of the night and taking him home, free of charge. His hand went past her thigh and into her coat pocket.

"What…are you…doing?" she panted.

His hand grabbed an object and pulled out; he looked at its glow in the darkness, never once letting up. She was impressed, even though his attention was now on the object in his hand. He rolled it between his fingers; his smile growing the more it glowed, exposing his perfect white teeth.

"Tell me my dear, where did you find this?" he asked. There was the slightest hint of a German accent as he spoke, his deep voice ever so enticing.

"B-Blackmarket…they said it…would…bring me luck…" she managed to say.

He eased his pleasurable assault on her, coming to a gentle rhythm. He slowly pushed her against the alley's wall, leaning down so she could see what he hand in his hands. The shard glowed intensely in the moonlight.

"What luck indeed, it brought you to me" he whispered.

He slowly put it back in his pocket.

"H-Hey…give it back" she said, trying to taunt him. In truth she was so infatuated at this point he could all of her money and she would hardly hold it against him.

"Poor, poor deluded girl, I would have thought someone of your kind would know better to dabble in the supernatural, it always ends in death" he whispered.

He stroked her hair.

"Though I suppose living in the City of the Fallen has educated you in death, hasn't it?" he said. Their single body became two again. The young whore fell against the wall, in utter ecstasy.

"Yeah, well, we got reason to be scared, what with this murderer going round killing girls" she explained, wiping the sweat from her brow.

"Killing prostitutes" he corrected her.

"I know, the guy's a psycho, I hope they hang 'im when they finally catch 'im" she replied, slowly putting on the rest of the clothes.

"Oh no, I believe this man has his reasons. After all, what other kind of people trade within the same circle, if one whore hasn't got it, then chances are one of her co-workers does, it's really quite easy to find particular items, even ones as small as these" he stated, twirling the object in his fingers, almost in glee.

"You a friend of his?" The young woman joked, getting to her feet and trying to sort her hair out.

"You know, despite being in this country only a short amount of time, I've built up quite a wide reputation" the shadowy figure suddenly stated. He was behind her again; one arm around her young waist, the other hand was by his belt, wrapping his fingers around an unknown object.

"It's always so strange, every time I take a new name; it always becomes legend in people's hearts and mind. Sometimes it is one of great victory and strength, others of compassion and mercy, while other times it is one of absolute fear. Do you know what they call me around here?" he whispered in her ear. Not really understanding a word that he had just uttered, the young lady of the night simply shrugged, wondering if it would be better if she invested some of her earnings in some make-up.

"Jack the Ripper"

The girl's eyes widened, the sword was drawn from its hilt.

* * *

><p>The rain hadn't died down, to the point where the boy's clothing had become second layer of skin. Still, fuelled by the glow of the strange shard, he pressed on forward with the resolve that had kept him alive all this time. After what seemed like hours of walking, he found himself in an area of London that wasn't familiar to him. Maybe it was because the rain or the multiple hits to his head, but all of a sudden London seemed like a different place all together, the rain serving as the perfect veil. It was if heaven itself had started to weep.<p>

His fragment of a torch was leading him somewhere, which was the only thing he was certain of. Eventually he came to an open area of road, where the only things visible were the shadows of the age old buildings, and a narrow alleyway. He recoiled slightly, still in shock as well as pan after his previous experience. However, the light of the shard pushed him forward, as if invisible hands were pushing him towards the narrow dark.

He approached one bleeding step at a time. By their point the light form the shard was quiet intense, so much so that his entire palm was consumed in a faint light, as if he were holding a miniature sun. The light was leading him to that alleyway, in a section of the old city where all life seemed to have evaporated.

That's when he heard the screams.

He stopped dead in his tracks. Even though the rain was coming down hard he could still see all that was happening in that narrow gap. His eyes widened, and the air suddenly became frigid. The light of the street lamps, the glow from the shard in is hand, even the few rays of moonlight that managed to break through the black clouds. They managed to all illuminate the scene in front of him.

The girl had been stripped bare; her clothes now reduced bloody rags. Whatever beauty she had was now lost due to the blood that flowed from her body and dyed her skin. To prevent her screaming further her throat had been cut first, a river or red now pouring onto the streets. The blade was now impaled through her midsection, her abdomen and lungs now torn to shreds. Mouth agape, the boy could just watch as the blade tore out of her, drenched in blood. The girl's lifeless body fell into the alleyway, blood now filling the gutters.

The killer gracefully walked out of the alleyway, letting the rain was away the blood from the cold edge of his sword, before placing it back in his sheath. He then caught sight of the boy, and the shimmering gem he held in his hands. They were silent and still for several minutes, only the howl of the rain and wind to fill in for them. The boys wasn't crying, he wasn't whimpering, he just stared, ice cold fear in his yes, even more than before.

The man in the long, expensive looking black coat slowly walked forward towards him. He rain seemed to become lighter, and before the child could blink the figure was standing before him. He was a tall man, not too wide or thin, and even under his coat you could tell he was unbelievable strong. He crouched down so they were face to face.

It was a face that the boy would remember for the rest of his life.

He had very long hair for a man, all the way down to the lower ends of his back, so much so that it obscured one eye. The one eye that was clear was as sharps as a hawk, and was such an intense colour of green that it could be mistaken for an emerald. His face was filled with youth, though there was a commanding authority to it. He didn't look over 30. The boy could safely say he had never met someone this healthy and imposing in all his life. The man's eye was drawn to the shard; he then peered up at the boy and gave a sigh.

"You poor lost soul, what has this cruel world done to you?" he sighed.

The boy said nothing, only shivered, his splintered teeth chattering in the cold. The man returned his attention to the shard. He slowly reached out and grasped it with his finger and thumb. The boy tried to pull away, but found that his body was frozen, as if a great weight was pinning him down to the pavement. The man removed the shard from his hands and placed it into his pocket.

"It is truly unfortunate that you had to witness this, though I can see that you must have suffered much worse in short, frail life" the man said. He reached up and touched the boy's cheek, gently patting it.

"I don't expect you to understand, but us meeting here tonight was not chance, rather we were drawn together by a higher calling, a calling that I am now once step closer to achieving thanks to you" he smiled sincerely at the boy, as a father would his own child. He the stood up, adjusting the rim of his coat and wiping a few strands of hair from his eyes. He placed a hand over the boy's uncut and grimy black hair.

"So it pains me slightly that I have to do this"

The sword plunged into his chest as such speed that the boy could hardly register it. He then slowly peered down, his voice croaked, even struggling to cry out in pain. The blade protruded from his back, its glimmering tip dyed in blood. The scarlet liquid began to spill into his lungs and out through the large wound in his chest. His eyes darted up in sheer panic to the cloaked man. He was no longer smiling.

"Sorry old boy, no loose ends, I like to be professional about these things" He slowly pulled the blade out and returned it to the darkness of the sheath. The boy felt blood fill his mouth, and he collapsed onto his front.

"Please don't think badly of me, this is not murder, its mercy" he stated. He took out the two shards he had acquired within the space of an hour and rolled them together. Following a sound that sounded like waves cashing against a rock, the two shards fitted together.

"I'm on a mission, a mission to save paradise itself" he turned his attention to the boy. His body was rapidly twitching, the pool of blood growing bigger with each passing second.

"You see my dear boy, its heaven. Heaven is rotting" he stared, looking through the intense rain, past the clouds, to something that couldn't be seen by the eyes of mortal men. He gave one final glance to the boy, before starting to walk away.

"You're only trading one hell for another I'm afraid, the heaven I fled from was corrupt, and for a sanctuary of the dead, it was above all thing, soulless. I'm going to change that; I will bring a tempest upon the society of souls, and wash away that taint that holds it."

The only response he received was a gargle of pain as the boy drowned in his own blood.

"I'm afraid we won't see each other again…not as men anyway" he gave a small chuckle. He vanished in an instant, but the cold wind carried his voice to the boy's ear.

"But perhaps as Gods and Monsters"

The boy clawed at the river of red, his breath becoming shorter with each rapid burst. He felt the fear cover his body; he wasn't going to make it, without a single prayer on his lips. He had lived in silence for the majority of his life, but now he wanted to scream, he wanted to be heard, he wanted to be saved. His eyes were glossing over, and son his arm stopped moving. His warm blood served as a pillow as it washed over his face, soaking into his hair. Eventually, he stopped breathing all together.

12:36am, the City of London, 1888. A boy with no name died, buried in the rain.


	2. Pale Shadow

Scarlet Symphony 

Pale Shadow

The ever present odour of the city's fumes combined with the endless torrent of rain managed to suppress the sickening smell of blood as it continued to flow from the boy's dead body. His flesh was now a ghostly pale, his eyes almost translucent. He was swimming in a sea of scarlet, ripples forming as the droplets of rain immersed themselves in.

If his fate had been any different, he would have just lay there until the early morning light, been discovered by the authorities, and been pushed out of society's eyes, just another body to through into the pit of millions. What was one more worthless life atop foundations of others who had died on those festering streets?

However, his fate was of a much darker nature. As the rain continued to pour, a shrill hiss rippled through the air, as if a flurry of claws were trying to rip open velvet. First came the screech, and then came split as the sky itself was torn open to reveal only darkness. From the seething dark, shapes began to appear.

Pale hands tore through the darkness. Reaching out with violent intent, the bleach white claws fought their way into the open. They slid through the air like snakes, slowly reaching out for the bleeding body. The bony fingers slowly curled their way around the torso and head, dragging him towards the rift. Excess blood seeped through the fingers as they dragged the body through it the red pool, his hair now dyed a deep scarlet.

The hands continued to pull him towards the dark, slowly lifting him off the ground. Little by little his bloodied body disappeared into the nothingness, not a moan or a whisper on his lips. The dark swallowed him whole.

* * *

><p>"What the hell is this?" the inhuman voice snarled.<p>

The white sands were sprinkled with the red from the deceased body, which was now overshadowed by several demonic entities. The sky was painted in a night darker than the blackest shadow, with a silvery moon that glistened like a pearl in a vast ocean of darkness. The largest and supposed leader of the company resembled that of gorilla, spikes extended from his exposed spinal cord and along his arms. Its mask was similar to a human's, only it had three spikes extending for the base. The others were also animalistic in some sense. One was a blend of giraffe and centipede, many legs and arms sprouting from is torso and long neck. The other two both derived design from insects, one being similar to a wasp, though its stinger was located on its right arm, while the last one resembled something of a skeletal moth.

The Hollows gathered around their prey like vultures.

"You were supposed to bring back a feast of humans! Not one insignificant child! This is hardly even an appetiser!" the lead Hollow snorted, pounding his fists into the clear sand. The other Hollows recoiled in fear with each punch.

The hybrid hollow stepped forward, bowing its head slightly "I assure you, my lord, we were drawn to an intense source of reaitsu, the beacon being this lowly human"

The lead Hollow pounded its chest in frustration and annoyance "Miserable servant! One child cannot hold enough reaitsu to draw the likes of us from Hueco Mundo! Its soul could not satisfy even that of a newly converted Hollow! It would take a large gathering of humans, or an experienced Shinigami for such a dense collection of spiritual particles to break through to fabric of the human world to reach us!"

The lower levelled Hollows shivered, fearing the possibility of being eaten themselves should they anger their leader any further. The gorilla-Hollow glared down the puny, bloodied corpse. "Dense reaitsu…how laughable, what could a child like this possibly achieve?"

An awkward silence spread through the company of Hollows. Behind his pale mask, the hybrid Hollow was sweating. "The…the reaistu that we felt…it…it was stronger than that of Barragan Louisenbarn…"

Another silence engulfed the company, only for it to be suddenly be broken by the tremendous laughter of the lead Hollow. His laughter was a bitter rasp of a howl mixed together with the screech of a primate. "Absurd! You think a human, an insignificant human, a child at that, could surpass the power of the late Barragan Louisenbarn?" the beast howled with laughed at the very notion.

The other Hollows exchanged nervous glances with one another, but didn't dare to question or try to reassure their leader. The muscular Hollow pounded the ground in his fits of laughter before eventually calming down and sending his subordinates a crazed glare "Enough of this foolishness! The God of Hueco Mundo has fallen, the throne is empty, and it is time for a new ruler to arise! As soon as I reach Vasto Lordes, then it shall Sangrienta Simios who wears the crown"

The Hollow felt anger rise up through his bones as his servants simply stood there, stupefied. He had beaten it into every Hollow that he had allowed to travel in his company that ALL must bow on the mention of his name (it was good practise after all). He lifted his fists, about to raise all kinds of hell for their insolence.

Fresh blood flowed from his chest as the flesh was pieced. Like a river the red liquid poured, staining the sand like a splash of crimson paint.

Sangrienta Simios was frozen to the spot, his body shaking violently, breath decreasing with every exhale. He forced his eyes downwards, only to witness the shimmer of the bleach white claw. The nails were the same size as the dead trees scattered through the bleak desert. The red trickled down the arm, dripping onto the face of the deceased child.

The deceased child whose eyes were now open; whose irises were now a petrifying shade of yellow. With a single movement, the claw tore through the upper half of the Hollow, nails tearing and pulling at every bone and artery, unleashing a waterfall of blood.

What was silence had now become hysteria.

White was bubbling form the child's mouth, inhuman clay frothing from his lips, which slowly solidified and covered what remained of his pale face. A mouth formed of jagged teeth covered the lower half of his face, encasing his nose and chin. Black had replaced the white of the eyes, while the sickly yellow irises rapidly took in the landscape. The blood-soaked arm was raised above the ground, the obvious reason that it was ten times the size of the child's body. It was deformed, inhuman, an abomination.

And it was hungry.

Simios drooled blood, using his large arms to try and cover the wound, however this proved futile as he collapsed onto the sand. "Wha…what…?" was all it could mutter as strength vanished from its body. Perhaps from primal fear, killer instinct or an actual sense of loyalty, the other Hollows lashed out from all angles.

In Hueco Mundo, you lived and breathed to kill. Death was more common than birth, mercy was an unspeakable taboo, deaths of vast and various magnitudes rippled throughout the land. Alongside the insatiable appetite to consume and become stronger, killing was the only thing Hollows cared for. As a result, entire wastelands of broken and mutilated bodies were seen scattered across the vast desert.

Simios had killed hundreds, maybe even thousands. It had smashed skulls, mutilated limbs, decimated the largest of Hollows and laughed as their ashes scattered on the unforgiving wind. He had never seen death like this.

The child's monstrous arm made short work of decapitating the first Hollow that approached him. A single swipe was enough to rip off the majority of their limbs. If he just left them there then they would have bled out and died soon enough. That was not an option. The first Hollow, the one that resembled a wasp, lost the complete right half of its body, including the stinger. Before it had even hit the pale sand, the child proceeded to claw at the rest of its body. Digging the nails into the sand, it tore through the remainder of the body like a guillotine, leaving five bloody chunks of flesh.

Wasting no time, the child was already upon the second Hollow, pinning the beast in place with a vicious punch, thriving off of the feeling of the bone breaking under his weight. The Hollow let out an agonised scream, attempting to impale the child with its tail, the bone at the end easily able to puncture flesh. Despite the child's small frame, the tail hit its mark. Whatever sense of victory the beast had was short lived, as the child did not bleed red, but white.

From the open wound sprouted a similar white substance to the material that covered its face and arm. Within moments a second monstrous had formed, the stinger at the end of the tail was forced back the raid transformation, the damage undone. All the Hollow could do was wonder how such a thing could exist when the child brought both fist down on its feeble body, shattering every bone it had, mask fragments and blood soaring into the air. Once again, a simple death was not satisfactory, it needed more, it hungered for more. The blood soaked arms began pummel the body with raised fists. For minutes the rain of bloody knuckles came upon the beast, until the beast was one with the scarlet sand.

Lifting two bloody hands from the brutal kill, the child let out an exhale, its inhuman voce letting out a shrill sigh; as if just experience a high from a drug. The air turned cold form its breath, its unblinking yellow eyes marvelling at the chunks of white mask and red flesh before him. It had no time to savour the experienced as searing heat passed through his body.

He let out a howl of primal anger; it did nothing to stop the barrage of red sphere's heading his way. The hybrid Hollow swung its great neck back and forth, never once stopping the assault, the image of its allies being savagely torn at burned into its mind. It wanted to run but in fear it had attacked, as instinct instructed.

Its mediocre attacks did nothing but to earn the hungry attention of the abomination. The child's face was bubbling with the white claw, covering the other side of its face with razor fangs and unsettling designs, spreading to the neck and shoulders, expanding on each ligament. Yellow eyes saw through each attack, identifying its prey, instinct screaming to rip it to shreds. That's was just what it did.

Simios watched, breathless. He couldn't even feel the agonising pain in his chest anymore, the pure numbness that filled his body blocked off any pain he was feeling at that moment. The sight before him cut into him deeper than any wound he had ever experienced. He watched at the chid went straight for the neck, slicing at it, but decapitating it, instead flailing, stripping it layer by layer before using all ten of its dagger-like nails to tear the Hollow into pieces. Then the child just stood there, looking into the black night, bathed in the blood of its prey, shallow breath coming in bursts. It seemed to be completely at peace.

It lowered its head to face Simios, raising its right hand, stretching its fingers wide. Inside its palm, crimson light began to gather, encircling the gap in its blood-stained hand, forming a large sphere of energy, beautiful to behold, agonising to experience.

The Hollow that stated it would be the next king didn't force it's body to move, neither scream or resist, pen watch with open as the Cero gathered, his death drawing nearer with ever second. It watched as the white clay now covered the boy's torso, a large hole in place right over where its heat should be. The fact that the transformation wasn't anywhere near completion yet made the Hollow shiver in fear. Yet, it was glad, glad it would not be alive to witness this creature's rampage, and the horror it would bring.

"The crown…is yours…"

Red tore through the sand as the Cero was unleashed, cutting through the landscape, incinerating trees and whatever was unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Amidst the blaze of the crimson light, Sangrienta Simios screamed as his body was vaporized until not even ash remained.

A few seconds later, and all was quiet again. Lowering its arm, the creature clothed in white breathed heavily, the air becoming ice. The adrenaline faded, nothing remained, only bodies, still, the transformation continued. The child slowly died, replaced by something, something hungry. To the naked eye, the desert was barren, but in creature knew, it could sense them, sense them all. Millions of them, large and small, weak and strong, all for the taking, miles and miles away, but they were out there, fresh meat, souls waiting to be sacrificed.

It only knew one thing, it hungered, it hungered for death, it hungered to kill. Unleashing a howl that shook the earth and skies, the pale shadow dived into the eternal night. The hunt began.


	3. Hollow Awakening

Scarlet Symphony

Hollow Awakening

One hundred years pass…

One hundred years of hunger…

One hundred years of rage…

One hundred years of blackness…

Not once did the killing ever subside.

* * *

><p>The Hollow that in appearance resembled the fusion of a gecko and ape sprinted on all fours through the desert plains. It leapt from each boulder and cliff it came across, trying to increase its speed and distance by rebounding off of it. There was only one thought in its mind; run.<p>

Run fast and don't stop running.

Even with the distance that it had gained it could still feel the shadow approaching, the shadow that blocked out what little light the moon provided. With fear in its veins, the creature propelled itself forward. It had been a grave misjudgement on its part. Having only just ascended toAdjuchas, it was feeling bold and decided to launch a surprise assault on a nearby source of reatisu. It had sensed that it was incredible dense, but also in a constant state of flux. With the thrill of the kill overpowering its sense of reason, it had leapt into the open, intending to devour the source of the unusual reaitsu within seconds.

Sand was hidden beneath a mountain of bodies, not even fit to be corpses, merely leftovers from where the soul had already been digested and no further satisfaction could be harvested. A hive, a nest, a graveyard, the list went on. Hollows of all sizes and classes, though from what little the petrified onlooker had gathered, none were of VastoLordes class. It could have been wrong; it did not spend too much time pondering on the shells of the dead. Its eyes were drawn to the entity that feasted upon then.

Blood poured between crooked jaws, staining the bleach white sand with teeth that overlapped and crossed, a maze of jagged death. Torn bodies caught in the gaps. Eyes indented with a sickening yellow colour. The typical mask of the Gillian was stretched across the darkened flesh, the signature pointed nose trickled with blood, deep cracks along the edges of the pale face. The contrast to a regular Gillian was staggering, but to stand and admire was to die. The little Hollow, even with its limited intellect, know its demise was certain if it lingered. So it ran, it ran through the pale dunes, blood sated with fear and adrenaline.

It did little to stop the abomination from clawing its way out of its grizzly den, raising its misshapen mask to the midnight sky, breathing in the stench of its prey, and beginning the chase.

* * *

><p>The orchestra of Las Noches was playing its signature tune. The melody of the lives of the multitudes slowly played out under the false sun and into the true night. The life of an Arrancar when grounded down to its simplest form was a single command; obey and exact the will of SosukeAizen. That was all there was to it, and as long as their daily outgoings fell within that parameter, they were left to their own devices. Most of which revolved around either violence or silence, though some tended to slip into vulgarity to pass the free time.<p>

The distant howls and screams were not lost on Gin Ichimaru as he walked through the halls of Las Noches. The white pillars and walkways gave the impression he was wading through a bleached world, everything was clinical, yet everything was diseased. Walking slightly ahead of him was the man he was sworn to serve, in life and in death. SosukeAizen wore that smile that rivalled even his own, if only because there was a reason to do so, and the reason often proved fatal.

"Things seem to be going along smoothly" he said abruptly.

Aizen turned his head slightly. "How do you mean, Gin? Our plan has yet to take its first step" he said smoothly, hand fixing at a stray lock of chocolate brown hair.

A slight increase in Gin's smile showed a hit of annoyance. Mostly because he wondered if being so suave came naturally or it was just something he did to impose a sense of high society. Though, being the leader of an organisation such as this was the highest form of society you could reach practically. Smooth bastard.

"Oh I wouldn't say that. We now have a preferable generation of Espada, all are eager for the coming war, and we're even gathering info on that that creepy Kurosaki kid and his ryoka friends" he chuckled. "I'd say that's a hell of a good start"

"Hmm, that's a good point. Kaname has also been working on the Hogoku, apparently the chrysalis state is going to be easier to achieve than expected" he said, his rich voice deepening at the mention of the orb of destruction.

A slight chuckle. "Sending the blind subordinate to do all the studying, that's a little underhanded" he chuckled, not sure if it was at the irony or the actual concept. Aizen didn't share in the laugh, he never did, but his smile just stayed firmly in place. It just made his rare frowns all the more threatening.

"Once the bonding process is complete, the only thing standing in our way is the King's Key, and that is all too easy to acquire. The rising population of souls in Karakura Town is most satisfactory" Aizen stated, his footsteps seemed to resonate. "And with the Hogyoku as my sword, even Soul Society and all its puppets will fall"

The word puppet seemed to tie a knot or two in Gin's stomach. Still, he kept smiling. "Can't wait"

* * *

><p>The puny creature died screaming, caught between the fangs of this beast. Blood ran thick and mask fragments shattered between the jaws of death. The demonic entity that only knew itself as Hollow swallowed what wasn't even worth of an appetiser with a bittersweet growl. It hungered for more, such intense hunger that it made death a preferable option.<p>

Where should it head next? It had heard whispers of the creatures known as VastoLordes and had been hunting them ever since. Wading its way through countless other Gillan and Adjuchas had only increased its rage, not a decent meal in years. Whispers from the other Hollows haunted its blackened mind.

A monster among that could not evolve beyond its most basic in a constant cycle of basic desire and hunger.A sickening creature that was an anomaly amongst the wretched company of now, all it could think about was another meal, but it couldn't stand the thought of devouring more small fry.

No, it wanted a feast. A dish which contained the soul of a VastoLordes. If it could successfully digest such a being, not only would its hunger be quenched for a good long while, but perhaps it would finally be elevated from this accused state and given sentience beyond that of a diseased hunter.

Perhaps it would search through the Menos Forest again. If it could finally catch a scent, or even a whisper, then it could…

The air grew thicker, denser. It was as if a rose had taken bloom in the middle of a desert, its rich scent carried along the sandy breeze. It was faint, but even as it turned its head in that particular direction the scent grew stronger.

It paused momentarily, taking in the scent fully, making sure it was not a trick of its already damaged mind. The scent remained, and it wasn't just one. Several scents, dozens of entities that held incredibly strong reaitsu. This was no trick of the psyche, this was a beautiful fact.

A feast worthy of a Sultan.A gift from a forsaken God. A reward after a century of unbearable hunger. The beast reared up its head ad unleashed a howl that could have split the sky, unleashing the full force of its spiritual pressure.

Violence and hunger consumed its thoughts. A collection of souls this rich was far too rare to waste. Tearing through the sands as far as its hulking body would let him. Gorges and crevices forming as its skeletal hands tore through the wasteland.

A storm was approaching Las Noches.

* * *

><p>The night air was cool, perhaps a little dense for her liking. Still, that wasn't going to stop her from enjoying what little time she had to herself. A chair she had borrowed from Barragan without saying a word, an open space free of the stupidity of the other Espada, and a book that actually perked her interest.<p>

These were the times that Tia Harribel valued more than anything.

While she prioritised Aizen's orders above anything else, it was these little moments that made her life in Las Noches that little bit sweeter. The rest of her time normally revolving around keeping someone in line, whether it be her Fraccion or the other Espada.

She was the Tercera, and therefore her word was held less weight that her two superiors. However, she would always counter with this; would you really rather follow the word of Starrk or Barragan? Most would rather choose the lesser of three evils in the form of the masked blonde.

Except for Nnoitra, who had been trying to get under her skin all week, more so than usual. He would take any action so long as it countered hers. It was quite fascinating to see the levels he would drop just to try and rattle her cage.

"It appears sexiest pigs slither lower than most" she had remarked once.

However, none of that mattered now. She had found a comfortable position to rest her tired back and shoulders. She could unfold her arms (a habit of hers and one of her many forms of social defence) and allow her thoughts to wonder. These next few moments were hers. She opened to the page she had left off last time, which must have been weeks ago, and began to indulge herself in a place that was beyond here.

Virginia Woolf. If there ever was a human that she would like to talk to, it would have been her. They were about the same age give or take a few decades, and like her, lived in a society ruled by classes which were dominated by men. Oh how she could relate. Still, all she could do now was pretend that she was attending the party of Clarissa Dalloway and that all of her problems would melt with a glass of fine wine.

"A life where the silent darkness does not beckon; a place where the false sun does not reach" she whispered to herself.

The pressure around the pages of her book suddenly increased in such a quick amount of time that the object simply fell from her grasp and onto the white, stone eyes looked up to scan the dark horizon, just in time to see red consume it

* * *

><p>Tremors radiated through the base, vibrations pulsing through the floor like ripples in a pond. If that wasn't enough of a giveaway, the reaitsu poured through the walls like a sonic-boom. The only difference was that it wasn't a regular burst of spiritual energy.<p>

There was definitely the unmistakable hint of the animalistic. That primal rage that could only be found in the most common of Hollows, that hunger that would forever take priority over logic. However, the was something vastly wrong with it. It seemed infected. Mutated.

"Well, now that's peculiar" Gin stated, looking around the ceiling as if he was expecting it to crumble at any moment. There was so much rage in the reaitsu coating, even more so than the average Hollow, even the very cranky ones. It seemed to ooze like venom through the air. It wasn't enough to make the Shinigami even budge.

But it was enough to make them blink.

"You don't feel something like this every day. Feels pretty close as well, want me to investigate Aizen-taicho?" he asked as he turned to the undisputed lord of Las Noches.

Who had vanished on a moment's notice.

Gin sighed. "Someday I'm going to nail his feet to the ground"

* * *

><p>This was glorious.<p>

Another cero was unleashed from the mouth of the beast, stretching over hundreds of miles to make a killer explosion on the outer walls of Las Noches. The assault had only started around ten minutes ago, and yet there was an immediate response from inside the palace. Swarms of creatures cloaked in white had lashed out at the beast, their blades drawn.

Spots of confusion decorated the hungry mind of the creature. Confused as to why its prey was so small and did not resemble Hollows at all. They were tiny but their reaitsu was dense, far tastier than anything it had devoured these past few decades. The attacked with blades that cut through its armoured skin, like pinpricks, while spitting out ceros that gave nasty burns.

And that was just the spice to add to the meal.

The looks of horror when a mere Gillian tore through their attacks and started biting their bodies into fragments was just bliss. Their blood was thick and tasty, their humanoid limbs providing a satisfying crunch. The swarms of about fifteen soldiers made for a bundle of tasty snacks and even better entertainment. Either getting caught in the blast wave of his cero or just impaling then with its hidden claws. For the belly or for the eyes, this brawl was ever so satisfying.

After the third swarm of these flies had been devoured and crunched into bloody pieces by what they viewed to be nothing more than a mad beast, they stopped fleeting out from their holes. Blood trickled from in-between the crooked jaws of the beast as it spread its long claw along the pale sands, exposing just how large and menacing it was, the hunger fading for a moment in anticipation of retaliation.

It was their move.

* * *

><p>"Harribel-sama!"<p>

The indigo-haired woman practically leapt onto the balcony, nearly missing the edge. Her eyes, one coloured a soft blue with the other was a lighter shade of red, highlighted around her eyelid as if it were some form of war paint, focused intently on her beloved master. Two other figures chased her shadow out into the open.

They were beautiful not by any stretch of the imagination. Even though the fragments of their Hollow remains still clung to them like any Arrancar, the feminine figures beneath them were nothing to sneer at. One like an amazon warrior, muscles ripping beneath her elegant dark flesh, knuckles gripping the handle of her weapon so tightly that they almost paled. The other like that of a Persian princess, her mouth hidden willingly by her long sleeve while violet eyes scanned the horizon.

Harribel was at the balcony's edge, arms folded, her shield raised once again. Jade pierced the obsidian sky, past the pale dunes to the beast that lurked with shallow breath and blazing eyes. "I'm fine" she said slowly to ease the nerves of her Fraccion, who could feel the reaitsu of this creature leaking out like a damn about to burst.

"What the hell is that?" the amazon asked, a quarter of her blade drawn as if it would lunge onto them at any moment.

"That's one fucked up Hollow! Looks like something that crawled out of Barragan's ass" the indigo-haired woman stated casually, gloved hand flicking a few loose strands across from the singular horn that was perched on her forehead.

An over-exaggerated sigh soon followed. "Honestly, the drivel that flows out of your mouth" she uttered from behind her silk sleeve. She was dressed like she was royalty from a far eastern land, and her eyes matched it. Striking lavender poured through from her eyes, long hair with a tint of swamp green flowed in the dusty air.

The indigo-haired doe snapped her head around, snorting like an ox. "Oh shut your face Sung-Sun!" she snapped back, her comrade's words never failing to get under her skin. Alas, her threatening retorts didn't even faze the slim princess, her sleeves flapping viciously from the harsh winds that stemmed from the creature's reaitsu.

"Apacci is right, in a sense" the words of their mistress immediately quieted the three servants as they looked to her. Harribel's gaze focused on the beast, its body shaking and bloody eyes quivering, as if it were struggling to even stay still

"_I have never seen a Hollow like this before…"_


	4. What Lies Beneath

Scarlet Symphony 

What Lies Beneath 

Its feast lay beyond those walls, but it needed to be patient, it needed to wait. Let the fear froth around the inhabitants; let it stew so that their flesh and souls were rich with terror. The thought brought shivers to its giant frame. It would allow its meal to rally the last of its courage and allow a counterattack, for the moment.

After all, its hunger demanded satisfaction.

* * *

><p>"Well, there's something you don't see everyday"<p>

From one of the higher balconies overlooking the Night Palace, the duo of Aizen and Gin looked over the battle stretched across the pale sands. Well, perhaps battle was the wrong word. The feeble resistance that had been put up by the lower level Arrancar was nothing short of embarrassing. Still, their failure was overshadowed by the fact that their opponent was no ordinary Gillian.

If you were to simply glance at it, the body of midnight black flesh and pale ligaments was just an average Menos Grande. But if you took the time to stare, to really look at it, then you would see its figure held several differences. The eyes were a sickening yellow, the mask a crooked white with splintered teeth that still held bloody chunks from its last meal. The flesh rippled with pulsating veins, dyed in a rich purple. Whereas most of its class preferred to hunt in packs and keep its arms hidden unless forced to, this one clearly stood alone and proudly showed its bony constructs. Instead of lifting its body to its full height, it laid low to the ground, like a wolf or some other hunter that preferred to keep itself as close to the earth as possible.

The mask itself was torn and chipped slightly, most likely from its numerous battles over the decades of its famished existence. Its breath was deep and low. Short bursts rippled the sand in front of it, white dust gathering in the silent breeze. The unblinking eyes, ever vigilant and ever searching, pierced the very walls of Las Noches.

Gin leaned over the edge of the balcony, despite the presence of such an unusual foe; he radiated an aura of pure relaxation. The long sleeves of his uniform extended over his arms by quite a bit, only complimenting his chilled nature. More than anything, the man who formally held the position of Captain was intrigued by their unexpected arrival.

"That was quite a show; it doesn't even appear to be wounded. What a fascinating creature" he chuckled with his ever present smile. From his position the hilt of his beloved weapon, Shinso, was still visible. "Would you like me to do away with it Captain?" he asked, as if not he held a care in the world.

The Lord and Master of Hueco Mundo peered over their new arrival. Eyes rich with hazel and conquest scanned every fragment of the Hollow. After a few minutes or so he raised a hand slightly, as if to disarm his eager subordinate.

"There will be no need for that, however, I would very much like to test the capabilities of this creature. Play with it for a bit" he said, before swiftly turning around and making his way back inside the Night Palace.

Gin raised an eyebrow. "As you wish, but wouldn't you rather stay and observe?" he quizzed.

There was a slight chuckle as Aizen half-turned his head, eyes burning with an intrigue that could only stem from an anomaly within his plans. He relished the chance for a new piece to be thrown onto the chessboard that was grand scheme. "I trust in your powers of deduction old friend, measure the capabilities of this Hollow, I shall return shortly" and with a single step he vanished into the dark of Las Noches. But not before releasing a strong burst of reaitsu that enveloped the surrounding area, reaching as high as the invisible canopy above the night sky of Hueco Mundo.

Gin twitched. "Oh dear"

There was a monumental howl from across the sands. The beast was violently shaking, even under threat from falling over. Its veins were pulsating and shaking, hot blood rushing through its large frame. Its bladed fingers tore into the sand as if in pain while its mouth gaping open, a mixture of salvia and clogged blood from its victims slowly drooling out. It raised its crooked head. Eyes fixed on the spot where the reatisu had originated from.

Its feeding frenzy had been sent into overdrive.

There was a long sigh from Gin as his hand lightly gripped his weapon. "And today was looking to be so pleasant."

With another thunderous roar the mutated Hollow leapt forward. Like a shark through an ocean of sand, its bleach-white ligaments tore through the dunes like a hot knife. All that filled its mind was the exquisite energy that it had tasted. Reaitsu so rich, so potent, it had never felt anything like it. Through its one hundred years of hunger and searching, nothing so refined had ever filled its senses. It was going to tear that shelter down, wall by wall, find the source, and devour it ravenously.

The very thought was breaking down what little sanity the creature had.

Trampling over the corpses of the insects it had torn up mere minutes before, it covered a large distance quite quickly. So close that the bright shimmer of the Night Palace reflected off of its pale mask, like moonlight across a violent river. It was so caught up in its hunger that the surge of pain that filled its body came as a bitter shock.

Skidding to a halt, waves of sand swallowing itself as the shadowy titan struggled to keeps its composure. Pain stemmed from across is large neck, leading into its hidden shoulder. Blood flowed freely, dotting the earth below like a red oasis. Snorting and groaning, nuzzling the wound in vain attempts to close it.

"My, my, my, you're a big fella aren't you?" the voice chuckled from below.

Two blistering yellow orbs peered down to witness its attacker. In one hand it held an incredibly small blade, no bigger than a dagger, saturated in blood from its last attack. The other hand shielded his slit eyes as if he were peering directing into the sun. His smile stood strong, satisfied that he was able to bring the beast to a stop.

"Sorry about the rude introduction, but you did storm onto our property out of the blue. Now, what do you say we forget about this whole mess and we open a bottle of sake?"

The strength from the creature's roar blew his hair and robes flying back, as if he were caught in a terrible gust. The eerie reaitsu that followed slowly began to divide the area on which they stood on. Cracks and divides stretched out, sand flowing into them like a waterfall. Before long the very ground they were standing on was unstable.

Gin tilted his head. "Or, if you prefer, we do have Green Mint Tea"

The beast lunged, the ground collapsing beneath it into a large crater as it did, the pressure of its disturbing reaitsu resonating around it as it tried to swat the smiling hornet. Baring its claws, it tried to snatch the pest, but all it grasped was air as it tore more of the ground apart. Snarling, it scanned through the dust and airborne sand for his target.

"You're certainly an eager one"

Its neck practically snapped around as its set its sights on the grinning fox, his free hand, brushing back his light lavender hair in the dust storm. "I'm a tad quicker than those little mice you chopped up earlier; you can't get sloppy around me" he chuckled; lifting is blade in front of him. "Otherwise…"

Another fierce roar as the Hollow propelled itself forward like an arrow drawn from a bow, teeth barred, ready to devour the fly dressed in white with a single snap. It had a feeling that the marrow of this one would be particularly satisfying. It didn't even register that he had drew his sword arm back, body set in a stance.

"You'll be dead before you even hit the ground…" he whispered darkly. Deaf to his words, the Hollow stretched its mouth wide. A display of razor-edged teeth ready to greet the slender male filled his vision.

"Shoot to kill, Shinso."

There was a glimmer of light, and before the beast could even register what had happened, an overwhelming sense of agony raced across the side of its body. From the side of its jaw, extending down across its entire left side, ending at its hip that was shielded by its dark coating of flesh. Blood sprayed like surf from the sea, the beast losing its original trajectory and collapsing onto the pale sand.

Gin flicked the excess blood to the side as his blade returned to its normal size. "I did warn you, you really should to size up your target before you try to take a bite out of them" he chuckled as he sheathed his weapon. Walking over to the fallen beast, who had rolled over onto its side, oozing blood and spitting shallow breaths. "Yikes, may have taken it a bit far" he winced.

The left arm was barely attatched, and many of the veins that coursed around its body had been cut, drenching much of its bulking and deformed body with an extra layer of blood. Intrigued, Gin scanned the side of the creature.

"Even the most primal of Hollows know that to attack Las Noches, alone or otherwise, is a foolhardy plan that will always lead to death. So, what compelled you, hmm?" he thought aloud. It was then he noticed something that made him blink twice, just to make sure he wasn't seeing anything. "No Hollow Hole? How is that even…"

He found himself cut off when the creature rolled itself over, fire and murder burning in each of its eyes. With great strength on behalf of its only working arm, it pushed itself forward like a bullet, causing Gin to leap back to gain more ground.

"Playing dead were we?"

He received his answer when the creature opened its mouth as wide as it could. Inside, a dull red light began to gather, spiraling together as the color and intensity only got brighter by the second. Soon the light had taken shape, accompanied by a painful sound that resembled a siren. Gin raised an eyebrow, before his smile broadened and he unsheathed his blade, hungry for battle.

"I guess this means you're ready for round two"

The cero erupted from the creature's mouth, consuming everything in its trail of destruction. The sands of Las Noches temporarily coated in a blinding red.

* * *

><p>The aftershock sent bursts of wind across the outer rim of the Night Palace. The four women that had gathered on one of the lower balconies felt the full force of it. Only three had to shield themselves from it. As excess sand and red light battered against the palace walls, the woman who masked the lower half of her face with her uniform scanned the debris with her jade eyes.<p>

"_It appears that Gin has fulfilled his regular quota of riling people up" _she thought to herself, arms never unfolding. From below all could hear the conduction of howls and the clash of steel and bone. There were a few coughs behind her as her subordinates regained their composure, followed by the complaints that were bound to follow.

"Ah damn it! I got sand in my mouth!" Apacci groaned as she rubbed her tongue hard with the back of her hand.

"A good a place as any I guess. Pigs aren't that picky with their food after all" Sung-Sun chipped in, brushing her long hair back yet still keeping her mouth covered.

"What was that?!" the heterochromia Arrancar snapped back, about to lash out with fists raised high. She didn't get further than a few steps due to the intervention of Mila-Rose. The Amazonian Arrancar gripped the scruff of her uniform tightly, holding her in place.

"You really think now's the time to try and kill each other? We may have more pressing concerns at the moment" the bulkiest of the three issued. There was a moment of struggle before Apacci finally lowered her arms and brushed off her counterpart.

"So what the hell is that thing anyway?" she asked; her back to the warrior and veiled priestess.

There was silence among the group; only the sound of the earth breaking and the wail of another cero being released filled the void of quiet. Harribel remained her vigilant yet quiet self, only when she was ever certain of something did she speak. That was why her word was either respected or reviled.

"_How a Hollow reached such a state as this is beyond me, it practically breathes distorted reaitsu." _Her thoughts seemed only confirmed when she gold a mildly clear view of the battle below.

The creature, the Hollow with the distorted appearance and spiritual nature, was now making short dashes for the smiling Shinigami. Every time it would make shorter distance jumps, ending it getting partially cut by Gin's sword, only to lash out again and get that much closer to securing a chance at killing him.

"_Its tactics have changed, to unusual ones at that. Interesting" _she thought to herself.

"What's it doing? It can't be so dense that it thinks it can keep up with Ichimaru?" Apacci asked, leaning over the edge until she was on her tiptoes, practically breathing in the action.

"You're eyes may be dynamic, but you don't use them very well, do you?" Sung-Sun lectured, causing the horned Arrancar to spin around, snarling.

"How about you make your snooty remarks to my fist?! You won't look so pretty with a broken jaw!" she threatened, to which the elegant beauty simply huffed.

"Such brutality, I see your tongue is just as ugly as your face" she said in modest regard, causing the recipient to glow red in anger, almost as much as the many ceros that wee exploding all around the area below.

"That tears it!" she yelled as jetted forward, full malicious intent behind her fist. While her anger and threat may have been real, the execution left much to be desired. Sung-Sun easily side-stepped her fellow Fraccion, causing her to fall to the polished floor with an almighty thud, earning a pain-filled groan in the process.

"Stay still you stupid…!" the angered Arrancar was once again cut off when the slimmer of the two pointed out the battle below.

"If you had really been paying attention, you would see that it is not mindless attacking. Actually, let me rephrase that, its attacks are erratic and without substance, but it is using that as a way to predict Ichimaru's moves in order to try and find an opening. Observe" Sung-Sun lectured.

Rubbing her bruised nose, Apacci looked to the scuffle below, just in time to see Gin slide to the side, his sandal nearly getting caught on one of its crooked teeth. In retaliation, he brought his weapon over his shoulder, having a clear shot at skewing it directly through the temple.

"Well, I'm sure one more scar won't make a difference" he chuckled as the blade extended and made contact. Only not in the place he was expecting.

The tip of the weapon cut at the creature's cheek, a quick spurt of blood pouring out in response. The creature had swung its whole body out of the way, narrowing avoiding any damage that would have permanently put him down. Instead, with astounding force, it leapt itself into the air with whatever strength it had left in all its limbs. It didn't reach far in altitude due to its large frame, not unexpected.

And that's what made Gin come to a halt. Its shadow reached for, only extending by the second due to its limited elevation. Still, that wasn't the reason that the Shinigami was frowning and holding his weapon so tightly. The red began to glow intensely, swallowing the shadows. At point blank range, the cero was released.

* * *

><p>The backlash was so intense that Apacci was sent flying back, the force pelting her jaw, causing her to fall back rather ungracefully. A thousand curses followed as she gripped her face. Sung-Sun chuckled in mil amusement while Mila-Rose gripped the handle of her weapon all the more tightly.<p>

"Did it…get him?" she asked.

"Doubtful, that stubborn snake refuses to die" Sung-Sun interjected.

"Look who's talking!" Apacci snapped back as she got to her feet, rubbing her chin and cracking her jaw.

The devastation that the cero had caused had shattered much of the earth, scorching the dunes and sending dust and heated grains into the air. While Las Noches was unharmed by this attack, its walls where feeling pressure from the aftermath. Heavy gales and ashes pounded the outer rims, spilling thorough the various openings. For just one Gillian, it was causing a lot of noise.

"_It changed tactics again, even risking itself in the process to secure a potential victory."_ Harribel sighed slightly at the Hollow's antics. _"Wasted sacrifice." _She said as she turned her back to it and began to make her way inside.

"Mistress?" Sung-Sun blinked.

"Harribel-sama, don't you want to stay and watch the rest of the fight?" Apacci asked, her voice becoming soft, the only time it ever did when in the presence of her master.

"There is no need. The creature will be dispatched, I see no need to linger here and see it put out of its misery" she calmly responded before taking another step inside.

There was a pause, her body language shifted and her eyes turned back to the scuffle. Though her vision was obscured by the height and distance, her other sense, the one that all Arrancar knew, was sharp as ever. That keen instinct informed her that another player had taken to the field, one that left her a great deal concerned.

* * *

><p>Gin dusted himself off. The only damage that had been caused was too his clothes, which were coated in some sort of sooty substance due to the intensity and closeness of the Cero. He patted his shoulder, the recoil from using Shunpo that quickly and that hard had left his upper body a tad sore. From the remains of the attack, a bubbling shadow slowly pulled itself from the wreckage.<p>

"You're a persistent soul, I'll give you that much" he chuckled as he held out his blade again.

The beast was covered in what appeared to be burns, much of the flesh was now charred and the mask was even more crooked than before. Still, it managed to lift itself so it was at least elevated by its one working arm and its less than stable feet. The light in its eyes hadn't died out yet; it was still consumed by its hunger, only now it was sprinkled by an urge to kill the one that had caused it the most damage.

"You almost got me with that last hit, feel like trying your luck again?" Gin taunted, ready to engage in their game of deadly chase once again.

"That won't be necessary" the voice made Gin's guard falter for a moment. He turned his attention away from the hulking mass towards the newest arrival on the pale sands. The new figure ran a hand through his rich, dark hair, while in his other hand he held an object that shimmer through his fingers with light.

Aizen stepped forward, examining the Hollow from top to bottom. "What an interesting creature, I wonder how you came in being?" he thought aloud as he further examined him. "Well done Gin, I will take things from here" he commanded.

The sly swordsman reluctantly sheathed his weapon. "Took your sweet time" he said in a hushed voice, concerned as to what exactly the False God was up to.

Ravaged breaths escaped the creature. It showed visibly signs of fatigue, maybe deliriousness from the amount of wounds I had suffered due to Gins quick and relentless counters. This new enemy confused its senses, little to no reaitsu emanating from him. Its gaze was matched as Aizen stared at it with his same old calculating and analytical eyes. Every outcome, factor and risk for every decision reflected in those eyes.

"Fluctuating reaitsu, absence of a Hollow Hole and complete lack of awareness as to who or what it is dealing with. You're quite the specimen" he chuckled to himself, the light growing slightly more intense in his palm.

The creature gritted its teeth to the point where the occasional one snapped and crumbled. The imagery of that light did not sit well with it. Somewhere in the darkest parts of it mind that light and the familiarity that came with it. It's snarling increased, what little reatisu it had left it forcibly poured over itself to make itself seem all the more imposing.

"Why so docile? Do you not recognize this?" Aizen taunted before unleashing another wave of reaitsu. At such close range it was a surprise that the creature didn't combust. Its slow breathing was replaced by hard, empty squawks, as if it were slowly drowning. The potent energy from before, the luscious meal that it had so desperately been fighting for, it was now standing only a few feet from him.

Temptation, primal animalistic nature, hunger. It all was too much for the creature to handle. With a deafening cry, it hurdled itself forward. Desperate to finally consume what would lead to its most satisfying meal, as well as its possible salvation.

Yellow light blinded him.

It was swift, clean and completely without hesitation. At first there was an overwhelming sense of pain, far greater than anything it had experienced even in its bleakest moments of existence. Then there was the numbness. As if it had been divided, and one part was drifting away while looking back on its remains. For once, the hunger began to fade. If it could, it would have smiled.

Blood poured from the clean cut through the mask, leading to the rest of the body simply falling to the sandy floor, practically lifeless aside from a few haunting breaths and jagged twitches. Its large frame casting an equally large shadow over the observers, one of which let out a long sigh.

"That was quite unnecessary, Harribel" Aizen sighed.

Floating down to land on the pale dunes was the Arrancar drenched in blonde locks. In her hand she held a short but wide blade that held interior blade but only the steel outline of one. Her gloved hand held the purple hilt tightly, which was slowly starting to become stained with the blood of the stationary Hollow. Her eyes, though obscured by the yellow of her hair, fell on the fallen beast before returning to Hueco Mundo's Lord.

"It would be shameful to my position as an Espada if I did not act," she replied, her weapon close to her side. It had been a split second decision in service to her lord, it should have been the right one, but why did he look so displeased?

Aizen began to walk towards the fallen beast; even passing by her to the point his shoulder nearly touched her head. In that moment she held her breath for fear of any kind of judgment. He looked over the wound to the beast's head, who had stopped moving altogether.

"The wound is much shallower than expected, though it is best if we act quickly" he summarized as he stretched out his hand that held the shimmering object inside.

Harribel's eye narrowed, "Aizen-sama, if I have impaired your plans in any way I…" she found herself cut off when the object in Aizen's possession was revealed with a movement of a few fingers.

Even Gin was slightly perplexed. "The Hogyoku?" he asked aloud.

Aizen grinned, the radiant orb incased its transparent casing was known, feared and in some cases lusted after by those within and beyond Hueco Mundo. "One thing I have always tried to teach each of my subordinates…" he grinned as he placed the object over the body of the fallen hollow. "Is to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself"

The radiance increased as it made contact with the Hollow's husk. Aizen pressed the tips of his fingers onto the orbs surface, pushing deeper into the creature's diseased flesh. Light burst from the casing, like a nova's glow incasing the dark sky. Harribel had to turn her head to avoid her eyes burning from the intensity of the Hogyoku, while Gin simply stared into the light without battering an eyelid, more than anything he was curious as to the result.

After all, Shinigamification was in essence, a sin against the natural order of things.

Sound, sight, touch. Every sense radically shifted to all who were in the presence of the orb's glow. The light killed all shadows, even blinding to the point where the frame of the beast had changed dramatically and yet went unnoticed. Much like the brightest star, the glow was strong but quite brief. It soon faded back into the single object that Aizen so delicately in the palm of his hand. What lay in its place was of far greater interest for him at that moment.

Naked flesh was seen above the sand, white in color, and aside from its unconscious state the body didn't seem damaged in any way. A slender frame layered by obvious by not overwhelming muscle, a frame that clearly indicated that this was a male. The most obvious feature was the hair that curled around in the sound, the soft breeze pushing on the strands that were colored a rich red. It was a red that on might find from the likes of a lunar eclipse, or from the darkest blood.

"So, I'm guessing that was a success?" Gin asked, returning to his optimistic demeanor.

Aizen walked over to the unconscious body, peering down at his handiwork. He waited a moment before the slightest bit of movement caught his eye. A twitch along his finger, followed a hand digging into the sand as he had once done before as a beast. A satisfied chuckle came from Aizen's lips. "It seems like this one wants to live. Can you hear my voice?" he asked inquisitively.

There was no response, only the stifled breaths of pain. Shakily, two arms pushed the body of this new arrival upwards, sand dripping off of his face. Shallow moans, body rippling and convulsing from the sudden shift in form. And that's what made all eyes widen.

All present found themselves looking at a Hollowfied Mask.


	5. Captive Justice

Scarlet Symphony 

Captive Justice  
><span>

One thing you could always count on when it came to Sosuke Aizen was that his own emotions and responses to any kind of situation would differ to everyone else's. This was no exception. While his two subordinates tried their best to hide their surprise and shock, he was hit by a rather pleasant wave of nostalgia.

The mask completely coated the face of the occupant in question. From chin to forehead and around his cheekbones, not to mention skintight. Yet there was no visible sign of him struggling to breathe or discomfort caused by it. If that was the case, then one could only assume that this was no accessory, but a piece of him, no different than a limb. Aizen's smile grew. For a second he believed to have a situation on his hands that mirrored his antics of a hundred years ago. He could do well without another situation where is experiments were temporary husks of true Arrancar.

This was a completely different story.

Dots of light seemed to reflect off of the mask's edge. As white as the walls of Las Noches. A set of crisscrossing teeth were etched into its design, but didn't looked at is if they were usable, likely another piece of the design. Similarly, another splash of color drew they eye towards the mask. Two lines of red, no wider than a centimeter each, cascaded down the left side of the mask, one line breaking apart briefly as it was intercepted the eye engraving.

Ah yes, the eyes. While they were no less yellow from before, they had lost much of the intensity and sickness. Gone was the desire to ravage and consume, if anything all they contained was utter confusion and fatigue. Their design was also radically different, if somewhat simplistic. There was no iris, no cornea, on the two topazes that filled the darkness behind the mask. Accompanied by the crimson clot of hair, the appearance of this being certainly boggled the mind and drew the attention of spectators.

Even Gin couldn't hold a smile to this.

"Aizen-sama!"

There was the rush of many steps, and in the blink of an eye, several figures draped in white had gathered around the three. The majority wore similar uniforms, including helmets that concealed their entire faces, their design mirroring a skull. Each held their weapon at the ready, loyal soldiers ready to follow any command. At the helm of their company was a man dressed in similar garbs to Gin, minus the ludicrously large sleeves. A visor withheld his eyes from the world, much like how the world had robbed him of his sight.

Kaname Tousen held his weapon tightly; all knowing that he could unleash and return the blade to its sheath with a split number of seconds. It would only take him a breath to cut down the perceived threat that lay before him.

"My sincerest apologies for my late arrival! When I felt the reaitsu spike I came as quickly as I was able!" he apologized, head bowed to his lord.

"Not without bringing some back up I see" Gin chuckled as he observed the squadron behind him. "Are the Calaveras really necessary?" he quizzed.

Tousen turned his head sharp in Gin's direction, brow narrowed. "I feared the worst and so took precautions. Any true subordinate would have done the same in my position, at least I would hope so" he snapped back.

"Oh I don't know, I like to think I have a bit more faith in my own abilities, yet alone Aizen-taicho's" he retorted, unfazed by his remarks.

Tousen's grip on his blade tightened. Still, he refrained from resorting to more petty words. Instead, his focus remained on the figure that all gazed upon. While he was blind to his appearance, he more than anyone could feel the shifting reaitsu that coursed through the body of this newcomer. No-one knew how he saw the world, what he perceived that working eyes could not.

It was like a heart monitor. Reaitsu spiking and falling constantly while trying to find itself a rhythm to follow. He frowned and slowly unleashed his zanpakuto from its sheath.  
>"Is this the abomination from before?" he asked.<p>

"In a sense" Gin responded.

"Then I shall do away with it" Tousen insisted as he took a couple of steps forward, blade ready to sever his target's head with a single stroke.

A sharp nudge came to his chest and he stopped in his tracks. Aizen lowered his hand, his eyes not leaving the being before him. He was still struggling, arms pushing against the pale sand to try and raise himself. His arms gave way on several occasions, only enough for him to reveal his chest. Lean, rippling with quiet muscle, but still absent of the hole that defined all Arrancar. Instead, that same scar stared back at all onlookers.

Slightly darker that the rest of his flesh, ingrained into the torso like a set of cracks through a landscape. An 'x' shape with one of the corners extending to the right hip.  
>Ragged breaths broke from the mask, a slight breaking along the mouth area allowing the air to flow out in whimpering bursts. Aizen chuckled, the same laugh he always gave when a new factor arose in life's game, a factor he would always turn to his advantage.<p>

"There is no need for an execution Kaname" he spoke out.

Tousen nearly snapped his neck in shock when he turned to his superior. "But, my lord, it attacked Las Noches! It would have attacked you" Tousen spoke out urgently.

"And you believe it to be an honest threat against me?"

"No, but any creature that shows hostility towards you cannot be allowed to escape justice, that is why I will not allow this thing to live" Tousen responded calmly, waiting for any excuse or leniency that would allow him to cut away at the creature below him.

Aizen gave a sigh and ran his fingers through his hair. If there ever was one issue that his blind subordinate would not let go it was the punishment of those that defied his will, and even worse fate awaiting those that took up arms against him.

But perhaps he had a point. His eye darted to those who had gathered around. Their loyalty was unquestionable, still, if they saw him pardon a creature that had caused such a nuisance and had resulted in a few of his soldier's deaths, it would create the slight speck of doubt. He not benevolent by any stretch of the imagination, and he knew how quickly rumors and events spread throughout Las Noches like wildfire. No, he couldn't just pardon this. But he wouldn't allow any opportunity to be wasted.

It only took him a second to come up with an alternative situation that would satisfy both parties and still serve him the distinct advantage in the long run.

"If you are truly insistent in dispensing justice Kaname…" he began.

"It is my very reason for existing Aizen-sama, one I pledge in your name. As I shall prove to you once again" Tousen said as he walked before the being and grabbed him by the throat. With minimal effort he was pulled up above the sand, gloved fingers digging into his wind pipe with the blade inches from his mask. A miniature statement on his part, after all, he was the blade that could cut through anything, a simple mask was going to be of no consequence.

"I wasn't finished talking Kaname" Aizen spoke out, his voice louder by a few decibels.

There was a sudden hush, save for the choking sounds of the being caught in Tousen's grip. Aizen's eyes narrowed, no matter the outcome, this newcomer would either provide decent entertainment, or better research material. All he had to do now was instigate it.

"You will bind him, you will escort him into Las Noches, and there you will imprison him" he said, each instruction crisp and clear. Their simplicity meant he would not tolerate anything less.

"Imprison?" Tousen repeated. The very word tasted sour on his tongue. "Aizen-sama, this creature does not deserve…"

"I decide who deserves to live and who is to die. My decision stands that this Arrancar will not die at this moment. Is that understood?" he instructed, eyes becoming sharp.

Tousen stalled for words, his weapon still raised to the Arrancar's face. With a single jerk of is arm he could spear him through the eye and be done with it. When the moment stalled for an unreasonable amount of time, a sharp sound broke the mood. All turned to see Gin clap his hands.

"Well then, best not waste anymore time out here then, I'm sure we could all do with a spot of tea after this whole debacle. Oh, you two" Gin said as he pointed out two of the Calveras. "Please assist your superior office take the captive to the Calabozo, the lowest level should suffice for our friend here" he instructed.

Aizen turned on his heels as he faced the Night Palace, his business taken care of. His smile spread as Gin finished up any loose ends in his command. Either he was exceptionally good at reading into his methods, or his own curiosity was playing up.

"Then I believe we are finished here."

Tousen bowed his head and sheathed his sword, if somewhat reluctantly. He released the Arrancar who fell to the dusty floor with a vicious thud, only to be scooped up by two of the white-clad soldiers who began to drag him towards their base of operations. The blind swordsman listened to the sound of feet being dragged through sand, and how he wished that it were the noise of blood trickling across it instead.

"Do not despair Kaname" Aizen's voice pulled him from his thoughts. The former Captain of Squad Five walked briskly towards his kingdom, satisfied with the day's events. "After all, our guest may not even last the week" he said.

A moment of silence before subordinate followed master towards their castle of the night. He tried to pry away his thoughts from the selfish act of ending the newcomer's short-life, bringing his mind some peace with a single notion. "Justice shall be delivered in the end, no matter who holds the blade."

* * *

><p>Apacci blinked as her mistress blurred back into existence. Her blade had returned to its sheath, her arms returning to her chest, putting up that metaphorical shield once again. Her three underlings exchanged glances.<p>

"Harribel-sama? Are you…?"

"It's been taken care of, you three are dismissed for the rest of the day" she stated as she made her way back into Las Noches. That caused some concern between the three.

"Mistress, we are perfectly willing to…" Sung-Sun tried to gently persuade her superior, but she soon found that tactic to be useless as Harribel's eyes found them, and they were cold.

"Would you rather that were an order?" she asked.

There was a frantic shaking of heads, to which she finally took her leave. The corridors of Las Noches were always darker before they got to her quarters. As she made the necessary turns towards her own private accommodation she felt her shoulders slump. That was unfair of her. Her Fraccion had simply being their duty; she was the one carrying the internal baggage.

"Reckless. Reckless and idiotic." She sighed.

Honestly, how could she have been so clumsy? She had acted on pure instinct alone. In that moment when she had sensed Aizen's presence, she had lashed out with the intention to kill. Normally she was once to analyze any situation, but nom in this case she had followed her gut instead of her mind. In the end, despite all her good intentions, all she had done was potentially lost favor with the King of Las Noches because she had interrupted an unorthodox experiment.

"It's something that Grimmjow would do," she sighed, making her shoulders slump even more. She needed an evening to herself to quietly vent all these annoyed emotions out of her system. Come tomorrow she would be calm, cool and collected.

She couldn't say the same for that Arrancar. 

* * *

><p>Aizen relaxed into the seat that was reserved for the greats, the Throne of Las Noches. He only ever sat in one of three places. Either in his private chambers, at the head of the Espada in the Meeting Room, and finally here. In this particular spot, he towered over everything and everyone else. Everything beneath him had to look to towards the heaven if they wanted to catch his gaze.<p>

Well, most individuals.

"So that was an interesting afternoon" Gin chuckled as he appeared beside the throne. His minimal wounds had been treated, but the recoil damage from so much Shunpo zigzagging would leave him sore for a couple days. "Stubborn Hollow" he had thought aloud as he massaged his shoulder.

"You're involvement was an essential factor. This little experiment could prove to be most amusing" Aizen stated as he leaned back against his seat of white marble. "That is why you are going to monitor him."

Gin's eyebrow perked up. "You want me to play prison warden?"

"I want you to be my eyes. You've placed him in a corner of which very few can escape. Observe and report any relevant data" he instructed, leaning on his hand.

"If he wakes up, you mean?" Gin added.

"If he succumbs, then Kaname will have his justice, and we won't have to waste our time with a fruitless project. Understand?" Aizen asked.

A long yawn parted from Gin's lips. "Well, it would be nice to put my feet up. I accept this integral mission with all of my being" he smirked as used Shunpo to disappear from sight. As soon as he left Aizen allowed his own chuckle to escape.

"Let's hope that you bear fruit"

* * *

><p>Gin practically leapt onto the seat in the monitor room. A multitude of screens and controls were layered about the room. Every inch of Las Noches could be monitored from here. Save for Aizen's quarters of course. But perhaps that was a blessing in disguise. No one wanted to see their omnipotent God commit sins in the dead of night beneath his sheets.<p>

Leaning back on the very comfy leather chair, Gin flicked a single switch that showed him the entirety of the Calabozo. The various chambers and cells that descended from the foundations of the palace all the way through the darkness of Hueco Mundo's earth.

Casually rotating one of the panels, the camera began to flicker in and out of different scenes as it zoomed across the different areas of Las Noches' prison. Finally it focused on a single room. The only light could seen was from the camera itself, after all, the deepest level of Carabozo was well known for its heavy darkness, vast humidity and claustrophobic environment. From the night vision that the camera allowed, Gin managed to make out the unmoving body of the occupant. Hanging from the ceiling, wrists in chains, had hung low. Only the shallowest of breaths escaped him.

The all too familiar sound of metal bending arose in the monitor room, as Gin opened his first bottle of sake of the evening. He took a long sip and raised a toast to the screen.

"Well, looks like it's just you and me pal. Try not to die, I want to kill a couple of days in here."


End file.
